In this bestselling novel, three pastors learn the necessity of relying on God's grace. They fall short of their pastoral duties through public humiliation, self-doubt, inability to accept God's promises in their own lives, and divisions and quarreling among their parishioners. Ultimately each man rejects temptations and permits the Holy Spirit to work through him.

This revised edition includes the final chapter, never before published in English. The new introduction provides historical and theological background to deepen the reader's understanding of the stories.